8
Jan
2012
Hakeem Nicks splits Falcons D en route to 72-yard touchdown (VIDEO)
(Photo: Nick Laham/Getty Images via Yahoo.com)
With second-year sensation Victor Cruz (and his salsa dance) getting all the press for the New York WRs dring the build up to this week’s Giants-Falcons Wild Card match-up, it was Hakeem Nicks who turned in the play of the day in leading the Giants to an impressive 24-2 playoff win.
After a defensive struggle in the first half, New York led 10-2 late in the third quarter when Nicks broke the game wide open with this 72-yard catch and run. Watch as Nicks splits no less than FIVE Falcons defenders at midfield and leaves them in the dust for his second touchdown of the game:
Nicks, who would finish with 115 yards receiving to go with his 2 TDs, added insult to injury for the Falcons by doing “The Dirty Bird” as his endzone celebration:
DIRTY BIRD GIF AFTER THE JUMP
7
Jan
2012
J.J. Watt makes incredible game-changing pick six to help Texans beat Bengals (VIDEO)
(Photo: Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images via Guardian.co.uk)
The first game on today’s playoff slate was probably (let’s be honest) the least-compelling match-up of the weekend, with the Houston Texans making their first-ever playoff appearance against the Bengals in Houston.
The game was tied up with time winding down in the first half when Texans stud rookie DE J.J. Watt came up with this incredible game-changing interception of Andy Dalton‘s pass, which Watt snared out of the air at the line of scrimmage and returned 29 yards for the score:
VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP
24
Dec
2011
Victor Cruz ties NFL record with 99-yard touchdown (VIDEO)
Cromartie searches for his jock on the MetLife Stadium turf (Image via Sportsgrid.com)
We’ve got another late contender for play of the year already today.
With the Giants trailing the Jets 7-3 and looking relatively lifeless heading into the half, facing 3rd and 10 from their own 1 yard line, Eli Manning hit Victor Cruz right around the first down marker … at which point Cruz makes an unbelievable sidestep move to elude two Jets defenders and break free for the 99-yard score.
Watch as Cruz makes Antonio Cromartie look silly after the catch, then uses his speed to do the rest:
VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP
24
Dec
2011
Jerome Simpson performs amazing front flip into endzone (GIF)
Put this one down as a finalist for play of the year.
From today’s Cincinatti-Arizona game, watch Bengals WR Jerome Simpson execute a miraculous front flip over Cardinals’ LB Daryl Washington – who stands at 6′-2″ – and somehow stick the landing in the endzone for the touchdown:
(via mocksession.com)
[GIF Via Mocksession]
Quite an improvement over the last time we heard from Mr. Simpson, when he was performing the most blatant flop in NFL history. It’s nice to see Jerome making history in such a positive way on this Christmas Eve.
19
Dec
2011
Johnny Knox isn’t supposed to bend that way (GIF)
(Image via mocksession.com)
Ouch. Bears WR Johnny Knox will undergo surgery today to stabilize a vertebra in his back after this scary hit on Sunday versus the Seahawks.
Knox caught a pass from Caleb Hanie in the first quarter, then fumbled the ball backward into his own territory. The Bears’ receiver made a diving attempt to recover the fumble, when he was hit by Seattle DE Anthony Hargrove and bent over backward in half [VIDEO HERE]. Knox was down for a significant amount of time before being placed on a spinal board and carted off the field.
Thankfully, the initial prognosis for Knox is positive, and he should eventually be able to resume his football career … which is the only reason we’re cool posting the gruesome GIF of the injury above.
“He has total movement throughout his body, has total use of all his extremities, which is good,” coach Lovie Smith said. “We’re doing tests right now. He has total movement. He’s not paralyzed or anything.”
So yeah … that’s good news. Here’s wishing Knox a speedy recovery.
28
Nov
2011
Jerome Simpson performs most blatant flop in NFL history (GIF)
From Sunday’s Bengals-Browns tilt, watch as Bengals WR Jerome Simpson turns in the most egregious flop in the history of organized football, after being pushed by LB Scott Fujita … (keep your eyes on the left of the screen):
(Image via mocksession.com)
Check out the extra leg kick for emphasis while Simpson is in the air, as though he had been shot in the chest with a cannon. And the worst part is, he actually drew a penalty against Fujita with this performance!!!
I mean, it’s a pretty decent Manu Ginobli impression, but let’s pray that the NFL doesn’t start going the way of the NBA and international soccer, with players taking dives like this at every chance the get in an effort to draw flags. It’s football, gentlemen. Let’s act like it.
24
Nov
2011
Ndamukong Suh kicks Packers lineman when he’s down, not helping his rep as a dirty player (VIDEO)
(Image via ShutdownCorner)
The NFL’s newest bad boy, DT Ndamukong Suh, was clearly missing out on the Thanksgiving spirit today, getting ejected during the 3rd quarter of the Lions’ ugly 27-15 loss to the Packers for kicking OL Evan Dietrich-Smith while he was down after a play. Not exactly a good look for the Lions, who were hoping to reverse their bad fortunes in turkey day games, but ended up losing their 8th straight nationally televised holiday affair in brutal fashion.
Green Bay was leading 7-0 at the half, and had failed on a 3rd and goal attempt when frustration overcame Suh and he took it out on Dietrich-Smith in plain view of the refs. The Packers lineman had driven Suh to the ground on the play, and Suh responded by driving his helmet into the turf before standing up, and stomping on his right arm as he walked away:
VIDEO AND MORE AFTER THE JUMP
22
Nov
2011
LeGarrette Blount runs like Super Mario (VIDEO)
(Photo: Salon.com)
The Tampa Bay Bucs became the most recent to fail in attempting to slay the undefeated Green Bay Packers on Sunday, losing 35-26 … but it wasn’t because of lack of effort on the part of RB LeGarrette Blount.
Watch as Blount breaks no less than SIX tackles en route to this incredible 54-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, leaving Packers defenders in his wake. And fortunately for us, someone on the interwebs had the good sense to sync up this highlight with the music from Super Mario Brothers, which makes the play even more fantastical, with Blount treating Packers like Goombas on his way to the endzone.
VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP
18
Nov
2011
Tim Tebow Tebows after Tebowing the Tebows to Tebowry (VIDEO)
(Image via instntrply.com)
Oh boy … get ready, folks. If you thought Tim Tebow-mania had already reached its pinnacle in this country, you ain’t seen nothing’ yet.
Last night, after turning in his usual sub-par performance for 3-1/2 quarters, Tebow once again stepped up as the hero, leading the Broncos on game-winning 95-yard drive to defeat the Jets 17-13. Tebow capped the impressive drive himself with a 20-yard touchdown run (video below), and now, after leading his team to a 4-1 record as starter, even his biggest doubters are genuinely starting to believe that there’s something special about this kid.
Critics will continue to argue that Tebow doesn’t have an NFL caliber arm, and going 9-for-20 for 104 yards passing won’t exactly change anyone’s mind about that, but the bottom line in this game is winning, and you just can’t argue with his results. Tebow rushed for 58 yards on the final drive alone, but his greatest skill might be his ability to avoid the big mistake … something Mark Sanchez knows all about after throwing a crucial pick-six that may have cost the Jets the game. By not making costly turnovers, Tebow has been able to keep the Broncos in every game he’s played until the end, and that’s all you can really ask for from a quarterback in this league.
And as he proved once again against a talented Jets defense, Tebow’s ability to make the big play when its most needed is simply uncanny.
“I like winning,” Tebow said after his third comeback in a month, “but I wish it wasn’t this stressful.”
Well, if he keeps winning games like this – and evoking the comeback prowess of one John Elway for Denver fans – I think everyone will learn how to manage the stress level just fine.
PS – Lost in all this Tebow talk, it’s really the Broncos defense that won this game for Denver. Oh, and Von Miller is quietly running away with the defensive ROY award. Just sayin’ …
VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP
15
Nov
2011
Watch Marshawn Lynch fake Ray Lewis out of his jock (GIF)
Yup. It happens to even the best of ‘em.
Watch Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch send both Ray Lewis and Jarret Johnson flying with this incredible juke move from Sunday’s 22-17 win over the Ravens:
(Image via kissingsuzykolber.com)
Yikes. That’s just nasty.
VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP
